INNOVATIVE BALNEOTHERAPY WITH REDUCED BAT H SOLUTION VOLUMES - FOIL BATHS

Balneo-phototherapy, in which salt baths are followed by UV-B irridati on, has proved successful in the treatment of psoriasis. Because of pr actical problems, the major one of which is the large turnover of bath solution volumes, balneotherapy has so far been limited to specialize d treatment centres. With the aid of a polyethylene foil the volume of bathing solutions needed can be reduced to a total of 41 per bath. Ba lneotherapy using small bath solution volumes for total body treatment can now be applied as an outpatient regimen for salt bath and bath-PU VA therapy. The methods for establishing balneotherapy with restricted water volumes and the advantages of bath-PUVA over conventional oral psoralen therapy are described.